Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a delivery for a machine for processing sheet-like printing materials, in particular a printing machine, having a sheet conveyor by which, during operation, sheets are transported to a stacking station whereat a sheet pile is formed from the sheets, and having a safety guard adjustable between a first position and a second position for removing sample sheets preventing access to the sheet conveyor, the safety guard being articulated on the delivery so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot pin which is located a distance downline from the sheet pile, as viewed in the sheet transporting direction.
A delivery of the foregoing general type has become known heretofore from the published German Patent Document DE 198 08 309 A1 and serves for removing sample sheets from the sheet pile. Provided for this purpose is a sheet high-holder, which is pivotable about a horizontal pivot pin downline from the sheet pile, into a drop-down path of the sheets released by the sheet conveyor. A safety guard is connected to the sheet high-holder, and thus executes the pivoting movements of the sheet high-holder.
A basically identical device has already been proposed heretofore in the published German Patent Document DE 29 00 645 A1.
The principle common to the state of the art which has been explained hereinbefore stems from the structural combination of the safety guard and a pivotable sheet high-holder.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a delivery for a machine for processing sheet-like printing materials, in particular, a printing machine, which, in contrast with the delivery to which reference was made in the introduction hereto, is equipped with a separate safety guard which, at least during the regular pile-forming process, provides a view of the downline top edge of the sheet pile.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a delivery for a machine for processing sheet-like printing materials, comprising a sheet conveyor for transporting sheets, during operation, to a stacking station whereat a sheet pile is formed from the sheets, and a safety guard adjustable between a first position and a second position at which sample sheets are removable, the safety guard serving to prevent access to the sheet conveyor, and being articulated on the delivery so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot pin located at a distance downline from the sheet pile, as viewed in the sheet transporting direction, the safety guard including a first safety-guard section pivotable about the pivot pin, and a second safety-guard section hingedly connected to the first safety-guard section via a hinge pin extending parallel to the pivot pin, the safety guard being swingable together into the first position, and being swingable apart into the second position, respectively, with corresponding pivoting of the first safety-guard section in relation to the pivot pin.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the first safety-guard section, in the first position, forms a wind deflector for deflecting downline-directed wind substantially transversely to the wind direction.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the safety guard, in the second position, has an assumed at least approximately extended or straightened-out position.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, a distance between the pivot point and the sheet pile is at least approximately bridged by the safety guard in the second position thereof.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the second safety-guard section is constructed as a shield formed with hollows, and the hollows are open in a direction facing towards the sheet pile and, in part, in an upward direction and, in part, in a downward direction.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the second safety-guard section is at least predominantly formed of transparent material.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the second safety-guard section has viewing openings formed therein which prevent hands of an operator from passing therethrough.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the safety guard is formed predominantly of transparent material.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the second safety-guard section is pivotable manually upwardly from an initial, first position of the safety guard.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the delivery includes a signal transmitter actuatable when the second safety-guard section is pivoted upwardly from the initial position thereof.
In accordance with still a further feature of the invention, the delivery includes a slot guide for guiding the second safety-guard section when the safety guard is swung together and apart.
In accordance with still an added feature of the invention, the delivery includes an auxiliary sheet-pile carrier insertable into the stacking station in the transporting direction of the sheets, the auxiliary sheet-pile carrier being insertable into the stacking station only in the first position of the safety guard.
In accordance with still an additional feature of the invention, the adjustability of the safety guard from the first position thereof into the second position is blocked by the insertion of the auxiliary sheet-pile carrier into the stacking station.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a machine for processing flat or planar printing materials, equipped with a delivery comprising a conveyor for transporting printing materials, during operation, to a stacking station whereat a pile is formed from the printing materials, and a safety guard adjustable between a first position and a second position at which samples of the printing materials are removable, the safety guard serving to prevent access to the conveyor, and being articulated on the delivery so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot pin located at a distance downline from the pile, as viewed in the transporting direction of the printing materials, the safety guard including a first safety-guard section pivotable about the pivot pin, and a second safety-guard section hingedly connected to the first safety-guard section via a hinge pin extending parallel to the pivot pin, the safety guard being swingable together into the first position, and being swingable apart into the second position, respectively, with corresponding pivoting of the first safety-guard section in relation to the pivot pin.
In accordance with a concomitant aspect of the invention, there is provided a sheet-processing printing machine having a delivery, comprising a sheet conveyor for transporting sheets, during operation, to a stacking station whereat a sheet pile is formed from the sheets, and a safety guard adjustable between a first position and a second position at which sample sheets are removable, the safety guard serving to prevent access to the sheet conveyor, and being articulated on the delivery so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot pin located at a distance downline from the sheet pile, as viewed in the sheet transporting direction, the safety guard including a first safety-guard section pivotable about the pivot pin, and a second safety-guard section hingedly connected to the first safety-guard section via a hinge pin extending parallel to the pivot pin, the safety guard being swingable together into the first position, and being swingable apart into the second position, respectively, with corresponding pivoting of the first safety-guard section in relation to the pivot pin.
According to the invention, the safety guard includes, for this purpose, a first safety-guard section, which is pivotable about the pivot pin, and a second safety-guard section, which is connected to the first safety-guard section in a manner similar to that of a hinge, via a hinge pin parallel to the pivot pin, it being possible, with corresponding pivoting of the first safety-guard section relative to the pivot pin, for the safety guard to be swung together into the first position and swung apart into the second position.
In a preferred configuration, the first safety-guard section, in the first position of the safety guard, projects downwardly from the pivot pin, while the second safety-guard section is disposed at an angle relative to the first safety-guard section on that side of the latter which is directed towards the sheet pile or stack. Consequently, on the one hand, the safety guard has a rather small overall height in the first position thereof and, on the other hand, the pivot pin is spaced apart from the sheet pile a distance corresponding at least approximately to the outstretched length of the swung-apart safety-guard sections, with the result that a clearance is produced between the sheet pile and the safety guard located in the first position, this clearance ensuring the possibility of viewing the downline top edge of the sheet pile.
Furthermore, the pivot pin is preferably placed so that, above the pivot pin, it is not possible to gain access in the direction of the sheet pile and the sheet conveyor.
In the first position of the safety guard, the first safety-guard section, which projects downwardly from the pivot pin, prevents accidental access in the direction of the stack, and the second safety-guard section additionally renders deliberate access to the clearance between the safety guard and the stack more difficult, especially since the second safety-guard section preferably assumes an at least approximately horizontal position in the first position of the safety guard. In particular, the safety guard located in the first position thus prevents accidental access to that part of the abovementioned clearance over which, in the case of mechanized sheet high-holders, the latter are automatically displaced from a rest position outside the drop-down path of the sheets into an intercepting position within the drop-down path, with the result that the sheet high-holders do not constitute a hazard.
In the second position of the safety guard, the first section thereof is pivoted upwardly, in relation to the pivot pin, in a direction towards the stack, and, in a preferred configuration, assumes an approximately horizontal position. The two safety-guard sections here are swung apart in relation to the hinge pin and, in a preferred configuration, they assume an at least approximately straightened-out position in relation to one another and virtually bridge the distance between the pivot pin and the stack.
As the two safety-guard sections are swung apart, the second safety-guard section moves beneath the space taken up by the aforementioned sheet high-holders in the rest position thereof and thus prevents access to the sheet high-holders, while the interspace formed in the intercepting position of the Sheet high-holders, between two successive sheets, provides access for removal of a sample sheet.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a delivery for a machine for processing sheet-like printing materials, in particular, a printing machine, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: